County School Population Drops 2,100, Thornton Tells County Chamber

OCEAN CITY — Cape May County’s school population slid more than expected, Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton told the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce at its monthly meeting, Thur., March 22 at Port O Call Hotel.
Thornton delivered the freeholder director’s annual report to that business body. In it, he highlighted Freeholder Will Morey’s focus on bettering the local economy with jobs to entice young families to relocate here. Also mentioned was $50,000 in “seed money” do an employment survey to find assets of companies and workers.
Part of the county’s concern is a population dip to just over 98,000 from 104,000 in the past.
Initially Thornton was told there were 1,400 fewer school-aged children in the county than a decade prior. Not so, said Thornton, after he spoke with Dr. Richard Stepura, executive county superintendent of schools, he learned that actual number was closer to 2,100 fewer pupils.
To put that number in perspective, for the 2009-10 school year, the latest for which student population data is available on the state Department of Education website, Lower Township (elementary) district had 1,897 students enrolled, Middle Township’s total K-12 student population was 2,822. Therefore, the loss of 2,100 pupils equates to a school district.
“That tells us young families are moving out,” said Thornton. “I will tell you, this is very difficult to deal with. Why is it difficult? In this county, 23 percent are aged 65 or older. That percentage is the largest percent of elderly in the state, more than Ocean County. The fastest growing population here is 85 and above. People are living much longer.”
“What is happening here? Suddenly we are a complete retirement and tourism community with nothing in between. We have to try to address that,” Thornton added.
Earlier in his address, Thornton cited declining numbers that affect the county government.
While the county’s $139-million budget was passed with less than a cent increase in the county tax rate, to 19 cents per $100 of assessed value, Thornton cited a ratable reduction of $6 billion.
That has a direct impact on tax revenues to operate the county, he said.
While in banner years, when interest rates were high, the county’s investment netted $2.7 million, which helped offset the tax burden.
“In 2011, we got $86,000 in interest. That’s significant,” said Thornton.
Similarly, he cited realty transfer fees, “down $6 million in the last three years. Those of you in the real estate ad banking business know what impact that has. It has a significant impact on county government,” Thornton said.
Some have asked why the county did not use more of its $22 million surplus to offset the tax hike. That is because the state dictates it cannot be used until 2014. The amount being used in this year’s budget is from 2009-10, he said.
The county’s new “get tough” policy on its in-county residency requirement was also mentioned. The director said that the 47 county residents who presently reside outside the borders will be grandfathered, but no longer will employment be extended to those living elsewhere. Part of the reason is economic, Thornton said.
“When we as a county pay a salary, we would like to see that salary spent in this county,” he said. “For every two jobs Cape May County provides, it provides another job in residual spending.”
Pointing to the county’s decision not to seek Green Acres funding, a point that brought criticism from environmental groups and municipalities, Thornton recited the $23 million figure spent from county funds to purchase 1,100 acres for Open Space and 3,700 acres for Farmland Preservation.
“The minute the county takes one dollar of Green Acres money on any project, everything we have purchased goes on the state inventory. The state takes control of all that open space and farmland, Your $23 million would be given to the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection), I don’t know how you feel, but I am not willing to give anything to the DEP,” said Thornton.
The massive evacuation of the county during Hurricane Irene of an estimated 776,000, including 1,400 long-term nursing home residents, brought an inquiry from China, said Thornton.
“Three weeks ago we got a call from New York, the people from the Republic of China, the Communist Chinese, asked if they could meet with us. They asked if we would brief them on our evacuation procedures,” said Thornton.
The meeting with the seven-member delegation for three hours took place, but not before getting a thumbs-up from Department of Homeland Security. That department cautioned the county not to divulge any plans in regard to terrorism, Thornton said.
Thornton, through an interpreter, asked the vice premier of emergency management, whose six-municipality area is home to 3.5 million, why he was asking little Cape May County about evacuation procedures.
“He said, ‘Evacuation procedures are basically the same,’” Thornton stated.
When asked how the county became known to the Chinese, the answer was “We saw you on television.”